ROLE OF GRACE- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Sam 21- 24
ROLE OF GRACE Friday, May 14, 2010
MEMORIZE: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21) READ: Ephesians 2:4-9 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). Several years after prophet Samuel anointed David as king, he became a state governor and later the president of Israel. He went through the process. Has the Lord given you a promise or promises that appear far-fetched? Are you becoming discouraged and thinking of giving up on your dreams? Don’t! The delay is not because God cannot fulfil His promise but simply because you must follow Heaven’s due process. Hold on to your dream like Joseph. He too went through the same process. He was sold into slavery after God had given him the vision of greatness. He was locked up in prison. He was forgotten. But when His day came, Heaven remembered him and fulfilled his life-long dream. When your day comes, Heaven will remember you and fulfil your God-given dream. Don’t lose hope or drop out of the faith before then! How did David realize the promised kingship? He had an overflowing anointing (Ps. 23:5). To have this, you must love righteousness and hate iniquity (Heb. 1:9). Holiness is an overflowing anointing. But how come Joseph -last but one child and David - the last born were chosen from their families? This shows the role of grace in fulfilling destiny.  Bible scholars even believe that David was not welcome in the Jesse family because his mother was not married to his father, yet God preferred him to his brothers. God does as He pleases and nobody can query Him. We are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8). God has chosen you not because you are most qualified for that position but because of grace. I once asked God, “How can you write in Your Word that You love Solomon - a product of  two mischievous adulterer and adulteress? His father was even a murderer.  How can you love the product of such illicit relationship?” Then the Lord asked me, “Son, was your mother the first wife of your father?” I knew where that question was leading to, so I immediately replied, “No more questions, Lord”. In 1 Corinthians 16:10, Paul said he was what he was by grace. You are not pastor, minister or leader because you merited it but because God decided to extend His grace to you. If you do not handle grace delicately, it can be abused (Rom. 6:1-2) or frustrated (Gal. 2:21). There is a last assignment for everyone. Don’t take God’s grace for granted. Justify that high calling of God upon your life. Let Heaven rejoice for choosing you, and not somebody else. ACTION POINT:Lord, let me not frustrate the grace of God upon my life.